serviettenknödel — Germany

Serviettenknödel — literally "napkin dumpling" — are bread dumplings made from stale bread rolls such as Kaiser rolls, soaked in milk and bound with eggs, then shaped into one large log rather than individual balls. They belong to the same family of bread dumplings as Semmelknödel, sharing the same basic dough but differing in shape and cooking method. This page follows the version associated with Germany, where the dish is common across the southern and central regions and appears on many restaurant menus as an accompaniment. It is also recorded on AllGastronomy in Austria and the Czech Republic, each place keeping its own page and its own way of preparing the dumpling. To prepare it, diced stale bread is soaked in warm milk until soft, then mixed with beaten eggs, sautéed onion, chopped parsley and a little nutmeg. The dough is shaped into a thick log, wrapped tightly in a cloth napkin (or plastic film in home kitchens) twisted at both ends, and poached in simmering water for about 30 to 40 minutes. Once cooked, the log is unwrapped and cut into thick slices. In Germany, the sliced dumpling most often accompanies roasted or braised meat, game dishes and mushroom sauces, soaking up gravy in place of potatoes or rice. Leftover slices are sometimes pan-fried the next day with a little butter until golden. Recipes vary in the type of bread used, the ratio of milk to bread, and whether the dough includes bacon or ham.